Black Label
by Fencedude
Summary: Cave went out hunting a monster. She found the monster. She defeated the monster. Then she fell in love.


**Black Label**

Cave, head of the elite Leanbox SMD, cautiously moved through the ice-filled cavern. It was unusual for a mission to send her this far north, not just out of Leanbox but on the northern outskirts of Lowee. Lady Blanc had set a special bounty for a monster that had been harassing nearby towns, Cave had been ordered by Lady Vert to take the mission. Cave was not sure why her goddess wanted her to do this. There were plenty of strong fighters in Lowee who could handle it. Not to mention ones from Lastation or Planeptune. However orders were orders and Cave had made her way to the northern reaches of Gamindustry, finally tracking the monster to this ice cavern.

This far from the capitals, the divine protection bestowed by the goddesses was weak, allowing more and stronger monsters to thrive. The cave she was in was known to be incredibly dangerous, risked only by the most powerful, daring or just downright crazy adventurers. Cave, on the other hand, was not an adventurer. She was a professional. As the head of the Leanbox Special Mission Department monster extermination was just one of her many jobs. A slight change in the air caused her to whirl around, her scissors slicing through the monster silently floating towards her. The tentacled Dogoo vanished in pixelated light, joining its many brethren she'd already slain.

Continuing deeper into the cave, lit only by the faint blue light emitted from the crystalline walls, she searched for her true prey. The reports said it was some form of Ancient Dragon, though the local defense forces should be able to handle an Ancient Dragon on their own. A pair of crystal golems fell before her scissors. It could be a new type of Dragon had appeared. That could be troublesome. New monster species rarely appeared in isolation. If it was here, then it could also make its way to the other countries, even Leanbox. She would have to include a warning in her report.

Her train of thought was interrupted by a roar that shook the entire cavern, nearly knocking her off her feet. As the roar died off, a second sound could be heard...a voice, a very high pitched voice.

"EEEEEEEK!" Cave could tell the source was approaching fast. "Nep-Nep! Ge-Ge! Iffy! Heeeeelp!" The voice rang a bell in Cave's head, but before she could pull up the memory, the source itself rounded a corner and crashed boobs first into her. As a trained fighter, Cave easily kept her balance. The woman who ran into her was not so lucky. As if thrown back by a spring, the unknown woman tumbled head over heels until she came to a rest with her legs sprawled out. That was when Cave finally recognized her.

"Compa, right?" Grabbing the peach-haired woman's arm, she hauled her up onto her feet. "I remember you. We met during the ASIC incident. You were with Lady Neptune's group."

"Oooohh..." the woman wobbled a bit, prompting Cave to pull her closer. "What? Oh...Cave!" Compa wrapped her arms around Cave, surprising the Leanbox agent with a hug. "It's been forever!" She seemed to have completely forgotten that she'd been running in terror just moments before.

"Compa, what are you doing here? Is Lady Neptune with you?"

"Nep-Nep? No, she went to visit Plutie. I think."

"What about Nepgear?"

"Nooo...since Nep-Nep went to Plutie's, Ge-Ge is at home with Histy." Cave had forgotten how Compa nicknamed everyone she met. Though now that she thought of it, she called her just 'Cave'. She brushed the thought aside.

"What about IF? Is there anyone here with you at all?" Cave's voice began to betray her exasperation with the flighty woman.

"No, Compa's here all by herself!" She seemed strangely proud of that. "I was looking for some ingredients, Gusty said I could find them here. She's teaching me how to do alchemy!"

"Ok, then what were you running from?" Cave was no longer even trying to hide her irritation. "This cave is incredibly dangerous."

Compa looked up at Cave, until comprehension dawned on her face. "Oh right! There was a huuuuuge monster!" Just then a roar shook the cavern, and the wall near them collapsed. Stepping through the opening was the largest Ancient Dragon Cave had ever seen.

"Thats the monster!" Compa pointed wildly. "It's really tough!" Compa's enormous syringe appeared with a flash of blue light. Cave placed her hand on her shoulder.

"Stand back. I'll take care of this." Cave stepped forward, her scissors at the ready.

"Full Burst Option!" Four flying drones appeared above her, then zoomed towards the Dragon, taking up positions above and around it. "Fire!" The drones unleashed a barrage of bullets and beams, scoring deep into the creature's hide. It roared in pain and fury. Its head snapped around and pointed directly at Cave. It knew who its enemy was.

Its maw opened, a blast of black flame bursting forth.

"Divine Dodge!" With her vastly increased speed, she easily avoided the blast and its follow ups. "Malicious Heaven!" Gathering wind energy on her scissors, she flung it towards the Dragon, damaging it even further.

More blasts of flame, followed by an impossibly fast lunge forward. Cave leapt over the Dragon, the cavern ceiling being just barely high enough. "Time to finish this."

Pointing her scissors, she concentrated all her remaining energy. "Black Label." Red and blue bolts shot from her scissors. The seemingly endless barrage didn't leave the Dragon a chance to counterattack. Finally however the bolts stopped, leaving the Monster heavily damaged but not quite dead. Cave ran her finger up her body, before reaching towards the monster and snapping her fingers. "Death Label". On the words and the snap, the Dragon exploded.

Unfortunately Cave had miscalculated. The Dragon had ended up near where Compa was hiding, and the explosion damaged the cavern's integrity. Using the last of her speed boost, Cave dashed towards the woman, barely shoving her out of the way. Compa was pushed clear of the falling crystals, but Cave wasn't so lucky. She felt something hit her leg, then everything went black.

Cave opened her eyes, the last thing she remembered was...Compa! Was Compa ok? That was when she realized her head was lying on something soft, and a hand was gently stroking her head. Her eyes began to focus. First a pink blur, then gradually resolving into a human shape. A shape with peach colored hair and a very generous bust. Compa.

"Aaaaa welcome back Cave." Compa's voice was calm and soothing. "I was worried for a bit, but you're going to be alright."

"Wh-What happened?" Cave's voice cracked a bit.

"When you pushed me out of the way, the ceiling fell on you. It crushed your right leg." Compa's voice was still kind, but had a professional air to it Cave had never heard before. She may have underestimated the woman. "I managed to get you free, and administered emergency first aid and healing, but unless we get you to a hospital I can't guarantee you will regain full use of your leg."

Cave started to sit up, Compa at first tried to hold her down, then changed her mind and helped her. Her legs were stretched out before her. Her right leg had been stripped of its boot and stocking, and then wrapped in a huge amount of bandage. Reaching out, she prodded at it. That was a mistake. The pain caused her to collapse back onto Compa's lap. "I already gave you the painkillers I have, they are keeping most of it at bay, but if I give you any more, you'd be unconscious."

"What else. What else aren't you telling me?" Cave knew there had to be a reason Compa hadn't gone for help already.

"Well..." The professionalism had leached from Compa's voice. "We're kinda...sorta...trapped." She almost sounded ashamed. "I used my Escape Button, but it didn't work." She pointed at the box with the giant red button on it. "Gusty knows I came here though, maybe she'll send help." Compa didn't sound very confident of that. From what Cave remembered of the diminutive alchemist, she didn't disagree.

They sat there in silence, Cave resting her head on Compa's knees, the woman once again gently stroking her hair. Despite the dull throbbing in her leg, despite the fact that they could die of thirst or starvation, Cave found herself strangely at peace. She'd never sought out physical intimacy. She couldn't remember the last time someone touched her outside of a training exercise. She turned her head to look up at Compa.

"Why don't you call me by a nickname?" Her cheeks flushed slightly, she couldn't believe she'd actually asked that.

Compa raised one finger to her mouth, tapping it slightly before answering. "Because Cave is Cave. Just like how Nep-Nep is Nep-Nep and Iffy is Iffy." She looked down and smiled at Cave, as if her statement had been completely self-explanatory.

"Does that mean you don't find me cute?" Cave had always secretly liked cute things, but she hid it away. She knew she herself could never be cute.

"Of course not!" Compa's voice sounded shocked. "Cave is incredibly cute!"

Cave sat up in shock, the movement causing her to wince slightly. She turned to Compa. "Don't lie. No one has ever said that. I get called 'cool' or 'mysterious', but never 'cute'". She carefully moved herself around so she was sitting next to Compa, their backs against a fairly smooth wall.

"They are wrong. Cave is cool. Cave is mysterious. Cave is also very, very cute." Compa's voice had changed again, not the airheaded girl, nor the professional nurse, but something more...intimate. A hand touched her chin and gently turned her head. "Compa has...I have...always thought you were..." her words cut off as her mouth touched Cave's.

Cave had never felt anything like it. The soft lips. The slight taste of peaches. She forgot where she was. She forgot the pain in her leg. Her entire being was focused on Compa's lips. Her eyes opened as the kiss broke. Compa's orange eyes looked a back at her. Pleading. Cave answered them by initiating another kiss. Once again Cave lost herself in the sensation.

Breaking it again, their eyes met once more. This time Compa's orange eyes were bright. "I was so worried. I've wanted...I've wanted to do that almost since we first met. I was just too scared." Compa turned and hugged Cave. "Thank you. Thank you for not rejecting me. Even though it's my fault you are like this now."

"No, no thank you." Cave returned the hug. Their breasts pushing against each other. "I never thought anyone would be interested in an uncute girl like me. Especially a girl as cute as you are." They both blushed. "Compa...would you go out with me?" Cave's blush was now the same shade as her hair.

"Of course!" Compa leaned over and they started kissing again.

With a boom, the wall of rubble burst open. A blonde-haired woman with truly enormous breasts strode through the opening. "Iffy I found them!"

IF walked through after the woman, still amazed at how much the girl changed when she transformed. Not to mention that the girl seemed to think she was the same person as the IF she'd grown up with. Shaking the thought away she looked around the previously blocked off cavern. "Compa? Cave? You in here?" Getting no response, she walked around the busty goddess. "Comp..." her voice trailed off as she found her friend, fast asleep next to the Leanbox agent, their heads resting against each other and the fingers of their hands intertwined.

"Iffy, why is Compa smiling?"

-End-


End file.
